hanging knee raise
Control and coordination of the hip and abdomen are trained in this exercise, helping you better connect with your body. The movement targets the hip flexors, alongside the muscles of the rectus abdominis; just lifting your bodyweight is enough to work against.
the big picture
It may look simple, but this exercise takes practice to achieve. Hanging from a pull-up bar, you isolate muscles in your hip and abdomen to flex your hips and your spine, lifting your knees as high as you can. Tensing your abs before starting neutralizes and stabilizes the spine. Arm straps can offer additional support here so you can focus on working your abs.
Beginners can start with 4 sets of 8–10 reps; discover other variations on and other targeted sets in the training programs.
PREPARATORY STAGE
Reach up and grab the bar with a pronated grip, hands outside shoulder-width. Once hanging, breathe in and engage your abs and hip flexors to bring your hips into slight flexion. Your legs should be together, with knees and ankles in line.
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stage one
Breathe out slowly as you raise your knees. Your abs will contract and shorten as you raise and flex at the hip—think to tuck your pelvis under and crunch your abs at the top to bring your knees in. Control the movement; do not swing. For an added challenge, hold for 1–2 seconds.
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SUPERIOR-ANTERIOR-LATERAL VIEW
Upper body and arms
Muscles of the back, arms, and shoulders work hard to maintain the upper-body position during the movement. Keep the core engaged throughout and focus on flexing your abs as you raise the legs, placing tension on both rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis.
Legs
Use muscles surrounding the hips to help stabilize your lower body to avoid swaying or swinging. The hip flexors work to integrate hip flexion with spinal flexion as you raise your legs.
stage two
From the top position, lower your knees back down in a controlled manner, breathing in as you do so, until your reach the starting position. Keep your abs engaged throughout. Reset your breathing and repeat stages 1 and 2.
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Common mistakes
Maintaining a controlled tempo (and working with your breathing) is key, because you don’t want any swinging. Focus hard on flexing your spine, as well as your hips, so your pelvis moves forward and your knees can move up fully. Resist the temptation to pull yourself up with your arms as you lift your legs.